System, apparatus and method for updating communication services

ABSTRACT

A system for updating communication services includes user equipment configured to communicate using a first communication service standard and a second communication service standard, a subscriber database, an application server, and a network device. The network device detects an update trigger corresponding to a user equipment, requests that the user equipment discontinue using the first communication service standard, and flags the user equipment as updated by communicating with the application server and the subscriber database, The network device also receives a communication from the user equipment and determines whether the communication corresponds to the first communication service standard or the second communication service standard. If the communication corresponds to the first communication service standard the network device communicates an error message to the user equipment. However, if the communication corresponds to a second communication service standard, the network device processes the communication.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.12/232,798, filed Sep. 24, 2008, which application claims priority ofU.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/001,114, filed on Oct.31, 2007. The subject matters of these earlier applications are herebyincorporated in their entireties by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed, in part, to methods and systems forenabling a service upgrade from one communication service standard toanother communication service standard.

2. Description of the Related Art

Communication networks are evolving from circuit switched (CS)infrastructures towards packet switched (PS) infrastructures. A singlecommon consolidated core network offers service providers thepossibility of reducing core network complexity and maintenance. Asservice providers shift their core network infrastructure from the CSdomain to a consolidated common internet protocol multimedia system(IMS) infrastructure, there is a need to enable the consistent provisionof services to subscribers over a variety of accesses, including CSdomain and PS domain accesses.

Initially, it can be expected that the coverage of internet protocolconnectivity access networks (IP-CAN) capable of transportingbi-directional speech media will be limited compared to CS domain accessnetworks at least during the introduction period of IP-CANs capable oftransporting bi-directional speech media. The Third GenerationPartnership Project (3GPP) standardization body is defining architectureto enable the use of a CS bearer for speech media while the serviceexecution is moved to the IMS system. Therefore, a need exists tospecify an architecture that supports the provision of IMS basedservices across a variety of PS domain or CS domain access networks.This would enable a consistent user-experience with bi-directionalspeech services of IMS subscribers irrespective of being inside oroutside the coverage of an IP-CAN capable of transporting bi-directionalspeech media.

Additionally, global system for mobile communications (GSM)supplementary services have been well defined in the past. IMSsupplementary services were specified in 3GPP Release 7 as part ofmultimedia telephony service (MMTel, 3GPP TS 24.173). GSM and IMSservice sets are generally incompatible. For example, MMTel services inIMS domains contain far more granular service conditions when certainsupplementary services are executed. Such services are generallyimpossible to provide in a GSM domain.

This deficiency leads to problems where a single user is using both CSand IMS domains, as it is not easy or possible to convert the data modelfrom one domain to the other. For example, in an IMS domain, a user canset call forwarding services to a session initiation protocol (SIP)uniform resource identifier (URI) type of address(mysecretery@example.com) and if the user attempts to query callforwarding setting via CS it is impossible to present this information,since the GSM data model is only able to present E.164 numbers as a callforwarding destination.

Also, operators need to be able to deploy an IMS system that serves bothsubscribers using MMTel capable IMS user equipment (UE) and subscribersthat use legacy (non-MMTel capable) GSM UEs that are connected to theIMS domain via network adaptor or gateway (L-CAAF-n or ICCF). Theproblem is how to ensure that one common IMS system is able to servicesubscribers in both service models (GSM and MMTel) and still ensureservice consistency for each individual subscriber, i.e. ensure that theMMTel and GSM services are not mixed for a particular subscriber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in response to the presentstate of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems andneeds in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currentlyavailable communication system technologies.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises adetector configured to detect an update trigger corresponding to a userequipment configured to communicate using a first communication servicestandard and a second communication service standard, a requesting unitconfigured to request that the user equipment discontinue using thefirst communication service standard, and a flagging unit configured toflag the user equipment as updated.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a receiverconfigured to receive a communication from the user equipment, adetermining unit configured to determine whether the communicationcorresponds to the first communication service standard or the secondcommunication service standard, and a communicating unit configured tocommunicate an error message to the user equipment when thecommunication corresponds to the first communication service standard.In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a processorconfigured to process the communication when the communicationcorresponds to a second communication service standard.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus also includes an update unitconfigured to provide update data to the user equipment to facilitatethe use of the second communication service standard instead of thefirst communication service standard. The update trigger may include theuser equipment operating in a manner inconsistent with the firstcommunication service standard. In some embodiments, the flagging unitis configured to update a subscriber database with flagging data andcommunicate with an application server to facilitate flagging of theuser equipment as updated. In certain embodiments, the firstcommunication service standard comprises a global system for mobilecommunication service standard and the second communication servicestandard comprises an internet protocol multimedia system servicestandard.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises ameans for detecting an update trigger corresponding to a user equipmentconfigured to communicate using a first communication service standardand a second communication service standard, a means for requesting thatthe user equipment discontinue using the first communication servicestandard, and a means for flagging the user equipment as updated.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a method includesdetecting an update trigger corresponding to a user equipment configuredto communicate using a first communication service standard and a secondcommunication service standard, requesting that the user equipmentdiscontinue using the first communication service standard, and flaggingthe user equipment as updated.

In certain embodiments, the method also includes receiving acommunication from the user equipment, determining whether thecommunication corresponds to the first communication service standard orthe second communication service standard, and communicating an errormessage to the user equipment when the communication corresponds to thefirst communication service standard. In some embodiments, the methodalso includes processing the communication when the communicationcorresponds to a second communication service standard.

In some embodiments, the method also includes providing update data tothe user equipment to facilitate the use of the second communicationservice standard instead of the first communication service standard.The update trigger may be the user equipment operating in a mannerinconsistent with the first communication service standard. In certainembodiments, the method also includes updating a subscriber databasewith flagging data and communicating with an application server tofacilitate the flagging of the user equipment as updated. The firstcommunication service standard may be a global system for mobilecommunication service standard and the second communication servicestandard may be an internet protocol multimedia system service standard.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a computer program isembodied on a computer readable medium. The computer program may beconfigured to control a processor to perform operations that includedetecting an update trigger corresponding to a user equipment configuredto communicate using a first communication service standard and a secondcommunication service standard, requesting that the user equipmentdiscontinue using the first communication service standard, and flaggingthe user equipment as updated.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus includes astorage unit configured to store an update status corresponding to auser equipment, a communication unit configured to receive a userequipment updated message corresponding to the user equipment, and anupdate unit configured to change the update status corresponding to theuser equipment in accordance with the user equipment updated message,where the update status corresponds to a first communication standardand a second communication standard used by the user equipment. Incertain embodiments, the communication unit is further configured tocommunication the update status corresponding to the user device inresponse to a request for the update status of the user device.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus includes ameans for storing an update status corresponding to a user device, ameans for receiving a user equipment updated message corresponding tothe user equipment, and a means for changing the update statuscorresponding to the user equipment in accordance with the userequipment updated message, where the update status corresponds to afirst communication standard and a second communication standard used bythe user equipment.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a method includesstoring an update status corresponding to a user device, receiving auser equipment updated message corresponding to the user equipment, andchanging the update status corresponding to the user equipment inaccordance with the user equipment updated message, where the updatestatus corresponds to a first communication standard and a secondcommunication standard used by the user equipment. The method may alsoinclude communicating the update status corresponding to the user devicein response to a request for the update status of the user device.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a computer program isembodied on a computer readable medium. The computer program may beconfigured to control a processor to perform operations that includestoring an update status corresponding to a user device, receiving auser equipment updated message corresponding to the user equipment, andchanging the update status corresponding to the user equipment inaccordance with the user equipment updated message, where the updatestatus corresponds to a first communication standard and a secondcommunication standard used by the user equipment.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus includes areceiver configured to receive a communication corresponding to a userequipment and a first communication service standard, a querying unitconfigured to query a subscriber database to determine whether the userequipment has been updated in accordance with a second communicationservice standard, and a transmitter configured to send an error messageto a network device when the user equipment has been updated accordingto the second communication service standard. In certain embodiments,the first communication service standard comprises a global system formobile communication service standard and the second communicationservice standard comprises an interne protocol multimedia system servicestandard.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus includes ameans for receiving a communication corresponding to a user equipmentand a first communication service standard, a means for querying asubscriber database to determine whether the user equipment has beenupdated in accordance with a second communication service standard, anda means for sending an error message to a network device when the userequipment has been updated according to the second communication servicestandard.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a method includesreceiving a communication corresponding to a user equipment and a firstcommunication service standard, querying a subscriber database todetermine whether the user equipment has been updated in accordance witha second communication service standard, and sending an error message toa network device when the user equipment has been updated according tothe second communication service standard. In certain embodiments, thefirst communication service standard comprises a global system formobile communication service standard and the second communicationservice standard comprises an internet protocol multimedia systemservice standard.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a computer program isembodied on a computer readable medium. The computer program may beconfigured to control a processor to perform operations that includereceiving a communication corresponding to a user equipment and a firstcommunication service standard, querying a subscriber database todetermine whether the user equipment has been updated in accordance witha second communication service standard, and sending an error message toa network device when the user equipment has been updated according tothe second communication service standard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For proper understanding of the invention, reference should be made tothe accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a communication servicesupgrade system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a communication servicesupgrade apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart diagram of one embodiment of a method forupgrading communication services in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram of one embodiment of a method forupgrading communication services in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of one embodiment of a process flow forupgrading communication services in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram of one embodiment of a process flow forupgrading communication services in accordance with the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It will be readily understood that the components of the presentinvention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein,may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of differentconfigurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of theembodiments of the apparatus, system, and method of the presentinvention, as represented in the attached figures, is not intended tolimit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merelyrepresentative of selected embodiments of the invention.

The features, structures, or characteristics of the invention describedthroughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner inone or more embodiments. For example, reference throughout thisspecification to “certain embodiments,” “some embodiments,” or similarlanguage means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristicdescribed in connection with the embodiment is included in at least oneembodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases“in certain embodiments,” “in some embodiment,” “in other embodiments,”or similar language throughout this specification do not necessarily allrefer to the same group of embodiments and the described features,structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner inone or more embodiments.

In addition, while the terms, data, packet, and/or datagram have beenused in the description of the present invention, the invention hasimport to many types of network data. For purposes of this invention,the term data includes packet, cell, frame, datagram, bridge protocoldata unit packet, packet data and any equivalents thereof.

A network device for updating communication services. The network deviceincludes a detector configured to detect an update trigger correspondingto a user equipment configured to communicate using a firstcommunication service standard and a second communication servicestandard. The network device also includes a requesting unit configuredto request that the user equipment discontinue using the firstcommunication service standard and a flagging unit configured to flagthe user equipment as updated. The network device further includes areceiver configured to receive a communication from the user equipmentand a determining unit configured to determine whether the communicationcorresponds to the first communication service standard or the secondcommunication service standard. Additionally, the network deviceincludes a communicating unit configured to communicate an error messageto the user equipment if the communication corresponds to the firstcommunication service standard and a processor configured to process thecommunication if the communication corresponds to a second communicationservice standard.

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system and methodto enable an upgrade from GSM service subscription to Internet ProtocolMultimedia System (IMS) service subscription and system and method todetect and act on error cases. This upgrade can be performed once foreach subscriber or user equipment in one operation or in multiplestages.

In certain embodiments, a global system for mobile communications (GSM)service operations are disabled in response to a trigger to convert tomultimedia telephony (MMTel) services is detected. The trigger may be,for example, that the user equipment is using MMtel services. Thischange allows the user to continue to use the GSM device with the GSMservices disabled. The user may use the MMTel user equipment to continueto use the GSM device with the GSM services disabled, or thenetwork/operator may provide, for example, a web page or javaapplication to the GSM user equipment that the user can use tomanipulate the services from the GSM user equipment.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a communication servicesupgrade system 100 in accordance with the present invention. Thedepicted system 100 includes user equipment 110, a base station 120, anetwork device 130, a subscriber database 140, an application server150, and a network backbone 160. A user equipment 110 can include, forexample, a cellular telephone, a personal data assistant, a personalcomputer, or any other communication device or appliance. A networkdevice 130, subscriber database 140, and the application server 150 caninclude, for example, one or more general purpose computers or anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The components of thesystem 100 can cooperate to upgrade communication services.

In certain embodiments, the user equipment 110 can communicate with thenetwork device 130 via the base station 120 and network backbone 160,using a first communication service standard and/or a secondcommunication service standard. In certain embodiments the networkdevice 130 detects a user equipment trigger which may include the userequipment 110 communicating using the second communication servicestandard. In some embodiments, the network device 130 flags the userequipment 110 as updated by communicating with the subscriber database140. The network device 130 may also communicate a request to the userequipment 110 requesting the user equipment to no longer communicateusing the first communication service standard.

In some embodiments, the user equipment 110 communicates with thenetwork device 130 using the first communication service standard. Incertain embodiments, the network device 130 communicates with thesubscriber database 140 to determine whether the user equipment has beenflagged as updated. In other embodiments, the application server 150queries the subscriber database 140 to determine whether the userequipment 110 has been flagged as updated. The application server 150may return the result of the query to the network device 130.

In some embodiments, if the user equipment 110 has not been flagged, thenetwork device 130 processes the communication. However, in certainembodiments, if the user equipment 110 has been flagged, the networkdevice 130 may communicate an error to the user equipment 110,indicating that the user equipment 110 does not have permission tocommunicate using the first communication service standard, but shouldcommunicate using the second communication service standard.Accordingly, the components of the system 100 enable the upgrading ofcommunication services.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a communication networkdevice 200 in accordance with the present invention. The depictednetwork device 200 includes a trigger detecting unit, or detector, 210,a requesting unit 220, a flagging unit 230, a receiving unit, orreceiver, 240, a determining unit 250, a communicating unit 260, aprocessing unit, or processor, 270, and an updating unit 280. The unitsof the network device 200 can cooperate to update communicationservices. It should be noted that the units depicted in FIG. 2, in someembodiments, could be distributed amongst multiple network devicesinstead of a single network device.

In certain embodiments, the trigger detecting unit 210 detects an updatetrigger corresponding to user equipment configured to communicate usinga first communication service standard and a second communicationservice standard. In some embodiments, the requesting unit 220 requeststhat the user equipment discontinue using the first communicationservice standard. In some embodiments, the flagging unit 230 flags theuser equipment as updated. In certain embodiments, the updating unit 280provides update data to the user equipment to facilitate the use of thesecond communication service standard instead of the first communicationservice standard.

In certain embodiments, the receiving unit 240 receives a communicationfrom the user equipment. In some embodiments, the determining unit 250determines whether the communication corresponds to the firstcommunication service standard or the second communication servicestandard. In certain embodiments, the communicating unit 260communicates an error message to the user equipment if the communicationcorresponds to the first communication service standard. In someembodiments, the processing unit 270 processes the communication if thecommunication corresponds to a second communication service standard. Inthis manner, the apparatus 200 enables communication service standardupdating.

In certain embodiments, the user equipment may be a GSM subscriber. Insuch an embodiment, in the initial state, the GSM subscriber shifts toan IMS system, but is still using traditional GSM user equipment, andthus, the IMS provides GSM-like services for this subscriber. Once thesubscriber starts using multimedia telephony (MMTel) services (e.g.,takes the MMTel user equipment into use) the following actions may betaken, depending upon the embodiment. Once the network gets a triggerthat a particular user is starting to use IMS centralized service (e.g.MMTel services) the network may perform operations of disabling the GSMservice setting operations from the GSM user equipment, providing anotification or new application to the GSM user equipment, and enablinga mechanism to detect and react to a misbehaving device.

The trigger for the above action is generally a request for servicesoutside of GSM and could include a MMTel user equipment creating servicesettings (e.g. an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) document) thatinclude elements that are not associated with GSM service. The servicedocument may be created under the same subscription that services theGSM user equipment. The trigger could also include a MMTel userequipment being used under the same subscription that serves a GSM userequipment.

In certain embodiments, a mechanism to disable GSM service settingscould be achieved, e.g., by using a customized application of mobilenetwork enhanced logic (CAMEL) service that blocks GSM service settingcommands used for supplementary services or disabling the correspondingservices in a home location register or visitor location register(HLR/VLR). This can help to ensure that the GSM user equipment cannotuse an integrated user interface to manipulate the GSM supplementaryservice settings. After this point, the user can manipulate the MMTelservice settings only.

In certain embodiments, the network may store a “MMTel supplementaryservices execution activated” flag as part of a subscriber's profile.This flag may be useful for the operator in order to more easilydetermine that a certain subscriber has been upgraded to use a MMTelservice model instead of a GSM service model. In some embodiments, thenetwork may then use this flag to block supplementary GSM servicecommands via traditional circuit switched (CS) networks to ensure acoherent end-user experience.

In embodiments of the present invention, mechanisms exist to enforcethis type of behavior. For example, in some embodiments, this may beenforced at a local CS access adaptation function network (L-CAAF-n)equivalent as defined in 3GPP TR 23.982 or similar function providingadaptation from CS/GSM supplementary control operations to theextensible markup language (XML) configuration access protocol (XCAP/Ut)signaling (IMS). In certain embodiments, this requirement maybe enforcedat the application providing the IMS (MMTel) services, e.g., telephonyapplication server (TAS).

In some embodiments, this condition may be enforced by a L-CAAF usingthe same mechanism to block the GSM service commands as used by avisited mobile switching center (VMSC)/visitor location register(VLR)/home location register (HLR); however, in this case, the L-CAAF-ndoes not need to read the new flag from the subscriber profile. Whetherthis alternative is possible may depend on the L-CAAF-n implementationand what is the execution order of the L-CAAF-n specific procedures andthe VMSC specific procedures when the L-CAAF-n receives the GSMsupplementary service commands.

In some embodiments, the operation of storing the flag better ensuresthat if the GSM user equipment (UE) did not receive the service settingsapplication and the end user continues to use the integrated GSM servicesettings user interface (UI) in the GSM user equipment, the system doesnot override or damage any MMTel service settings the subscriber createsvia the MMTel user equipment. In some embodiments, although,technically, it may present certain MMTel setting documents via GSMsettings (i.e., documents that do not contain elements that have notbeen defined in GSM), in sake of coherent end user experience, the enduser uses the services settings of Midlet or other mechanisms anddisables the GSM settings once the upgrade to MMTel services iscomplete.

It should be noted that many of the functional units described in thisspecification have been presented as units in order to more particularlyemphasize their implementation independence. For example, a unit may beimplemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits orgate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips,transistors, or other discrete components. A unit may also beimplemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmablegate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or thelike.

Units may also be partially implemented in software for execution byvarious types of processors. An identified unit of executable code may,for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks ofcomputer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as anobject, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of anidentified unit need not be physically located together, but maycomprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which,when joined logically together, comprise the unit and achieve the statedpurpose for the unit.

Indeed, a unit of executable code could be a single instruction, or manyinstructions, and may even be distributed over several different codesegments, among different programs, and across several memory devices.Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated hereinwithin units, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organizedwithin any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may becollected as a single data set, or may be distributed over differentlocations including over different storage devices, and may exist, atleast partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart diagram of one embodiment of a method 300 forupgrading communication services in accordance with the presentinvention. The depicted method 300 includes detecting 310 a userequipment trigger, flagging 320 the user equipment, and requesting 330discontinuance of communications corresponding to a first communicationservice standard, providing 340 update data. The operations of themethod 300 can cooperate to update communication service standards.

Detecting 310 may include detecting an update trigger corresponding to auser equipment configured to communicate using a first communicationservice standard and a second communication service standard. In certainembodiments, detecting 310 a user equipment updated trigger may includedetecting that the user equipment is using a second communicationservices standard as opposed to a first communication services standard.Also, detecting 310 a user equipment updated trigger may includedetecting that a user equipment is communicating in a mannerinconsistent with a first communication services standard. In someembodiments, detecting 310 a user equipment update trigger may includeMMTel user equipment creating service settings that include elements nota part of GSM. Detecting 310 a user equipment update trigger may alsoinclude MMTel user equipment taken into use for the first time under thesame subscription that services GSM user equipment.

Flagging 320 may include flagging the user equipment capable ofcommunicating using the second communication service standard. In someembodiments, flagging 320 the user equipment may include updating asubscriber database that the user equipment should no longer communicateusing the first communication service standard. Depending on theembodiment, a subscriber database may or may not be local.

Requesting 330 may include requesting that the user equipmentdiscontinue using the first communication service standard. Providing340 may include providing update data to the user equipment tofacilitate the use of the second communication service standard insteadof the first communication service standard. Update data may includelogical instructions, software content, or data for no longercommunicating using the first communication service standard.

In some embodiments, the network (service provider/operator/device)could send a message to the user equipment instructing the userequipment to not use traditional GSM supplementary mechanisms (i.e.,integrated service settings user interface in the GSM user equipment).At the same time, in some embodiments, a serviceprovider/operator/network device could specify the non-standardizedmeans that are available for service configuration (e.g., call to theoperator, web page for self service management, etc.). In certainembodiments, a new service settings application (e.g., Midlet orsubscriber identity module (SIM) application toolkit) can beautomatically pushed to the GSM device. Additionally, a link to the webor wireless application protocol (WAP) page for service settings couldbe sent to the GSM device which could be used to manipulate serviceconfigurations related to the MMTel supplementary services.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram of one embodiment of a method 400 forcommunication service standards updating in accordance with the presentinvention. As depicted, the method 400 includes receiving 410 acommunication from user equipment, determining 420 whether thecommunication corresponds to a first communication service standard,determining 430 whether the use equipment is flagged, processing 440 thecommunication, and communicating 450 an error message to the userequipment. The operations of the method 400 can ensure thatupdated/flagged user equipment communicates using a second communicationservice standard instead of a first communication service standard.

Receiving 410 a communication from user equipment may include a networkdevice receiving a communication from user equipment capable of using afirst communication service standard and a second communication servicestandard. In some embodiments, the first communication service standardcorresponds to a GSM standard. In certain embodiments, the secondcommunication service standard corresponds to a IMS standard. Once thecommunication from the user equipment is received, the method 400continues by determining 420 whether the communication corresponds to afirst communication service standard.

If the communication does not, the communication is processed atoperation 440. If the communication does correspond to a firstcommunication service standard, then the method 400 continues bydetermining 430 whether the user equipment is flagged. If the userequipment is not flagged, the communication is processed at operation440. However, if the user equipment corresponding to the communicationis flagged, then the method 400 continues by communicating an errormessage to the user equipment. Accordingly, the method 400 provides anexample of ensuring the user equipment communication service standardsare updated. In this manner, operations of the method 400 ensure thatupdated/flagged user equipment communicates using a second communicationservice standard instead of a first communication service standard.

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of one embodiment of a process flow 500 forupgrading communication services in accordance with the presentinvention. The depicted process flow 500 includes GSM/MMTel userequipment 510, a L-CAAF-n/VMSC 520, a subscriber database 530, and a TAS540. The components of the process flow 500 can cooperate to update thecommunication service standards of a user equipment and ensure that userequipment communicates using the updated communication servicestandards.

In process 550, an upgrade is performed. The upgrade may includeupdating the subscriber database 530 to flag the user equipment 510 asupdated to use a second communication service standard (i.e. MMTeI)instead of a first communication service standard (i.e. GSM). In process560, the GSM/MMTel user equipment attempts to query or manipulatesupplementary services with GSM mechanisms by communicating with theL-CAAF-nNMSC 520. In response, the L-CAAF-n/VMSC 520 queries for IMSsystem upgrade information in process 570. In process 580, thesubscriber database responds confirming that the GSM/MMTel userequipment was previously upgraded. Accordingly, the L-CAAF-n/VMSC 520decides to block the attempt at process 590 and an error message iscommunicated to the GSM/MMTel user equipment in process 595. It shouldbe noted that in the embodiment depicted by FIG. 5, no communications orprocesses corresponding to the TAS 540 are necessary. In someembodiments, if the GSM/MMTel user equipment was not previouslyupgraded, the attempt of process 560 would be duly processed.

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram of one embodiment of a process flow 600 forupgrading communication services in accordance with the presentinvention. The depicted process flow 600 includes a GSM/MMTel userequipment 610, an L-CAAF-n/VMSC 620, a subscriber database 630, and aTAS 640. The components of the process flow 600 can cooperate to ensurethat user equipment communicates using the updated communication servicestandards.

In process 650, an upgrade of the GSM/MMTel user equipment is performed.This upgrade may include flagging the GSM/MMTel as upgraded to a secondcommunication service standard such as MMTel as opposed to GSM. Inprocess 655, the GSM/MMTel user equipment 620 can attempt to query ormanipulate supplementary service with GSM mechanisms. The L-CAAF-n/VMSC,in process 660, communicates an XCAP request to query or manipulateservice to the TAS 640.

In process 665, the TAS queries the subscriber database 630 for IMSsystem information corresponding to the GSM/MMTel user equipment 620. Inprocess 670, the subscriber database 630 returns an “upgrade done”message back to the TAS 640. The TAS 640 then decides to block therequest in process 675 and sends an error message to the L-CAAF-n/VMSCin process 680. In process 685, the L-CAAF-n/VMSC communicates the errormessage to the GSM/MMTel user equipment 610. In some embodiments, if theGSM!MMTel user equipment was not previously upgraded, the attempt ofprocess 655 would be duly processed. Accordingly, the process flow 600provides one of many solutions in accordance with the present inventionfor updating communication service standards and ensuring that userequipment communicates according to the upgrade.

One having ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that theinvention as discussed above may be practiced with steps in a differentorder, and/or with hardware elements in configurations which aredifferent than those which are disclosed. Therefore, although theinvention has been described based upon these preferred embodiments, itwould be apparent to those of skill in the art that certainmodifications, variations, and alternative constructions would beapparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention.

A computer readable medium disclosed herein may include a variety ofmemory mediums including, for example, all forms of volatile memory ornonvolatile memory. Additionally, certain descriptions herein aredirected toward GSM and IMS standards; however, the subject matterdisclosed herein is in no way intended to be applied solely to GSM andIMS standards, but could be applied to a variety of different standards.

It should be noted that reference throughout this specification tofeatures, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of thefeatures and advantages that may be realized with the present inventionshould be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather,language referring to the features and advantages is understood to meanthat a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described inconnection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment ofthe present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages,and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do notnecessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics ofthe invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that theinvention can be practiced without one or more of the specific featuresor advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additionalfeatures and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments thatmay not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

1. An apparatus, comprising: a communication unit configured to receivea user equipment updated message corresponding to the user equipment;and an update unit configured to change an update status correspondingto a user equipment in accordance with the user equipment updatedmessage, wherein the update status corresponds to a first communicationstandard and a second communication standard used by the user equipment.2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is furtherconfigured to communication the update status corresponding to the userdevice in response to a request for the update status of the userdevice.
 3. An apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving auser equipment updated message corresponding to a user equipment; andchanging means for changing an update status corresponding to the userequipment in accordance with the user equipment updated message, whereinthe update status corresponds to a first communication standard and asecond communication standard used by the user equipment.
 4. A method,comprising: receiving a user equipment updated message corresponding toa user equipment; and changing an update status corresponding to theuser equipment in accordance with the user equipment updated message,wherein the update status corresponds to a first communication standardand a second communication standard used by the user equipment.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, further comprising: communicating the update statuscorresponding to the user device in response to a request for the updatestatus of the user device.
 6. A computer program embodied on a computerreadable medium, the computer program configured to control a processorto perform operations comprising: receiving a user equipment updatedmessage corresponding to a user equipment; and changing an update statuscorresponding to the user equipment in accordance with the userequipment updated message, wherein the update status corresponds to afirst communication standard and a second communication standard used bythe user equipment.
 7. An apparatus, comprising: a receiver configuredto receive a communication corresponding to a user equipment and a firstcommunication service standard; a querying unit configured to query asubscriber database to determine whether the user equipment has beenupdated in accordance with a second communication service standard; anda transmitter configured to send an error message to a network devicewhen the user equipment has been updated according to the secondcommunication service standard.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein thefirst communication service standard comprises a global system formobile communication service standard and the second communicationservice standard comprises an interne protocol multimedia system servicestandard.
 9. An apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving acommunication corresponding to a user equipment and a firstcommunication service standard; querying means for querying a subscriberdatabase to determine whether the user equipment has been updated inaccordance with a second communication service standard; and sendingmeans for sending an error message to a network device when the userequipment has been updated according to the second communication servicestandard.
 10. A method, comprising: receiving a communicationcorresponding to a user equipment and a first communication servicestandard; querying a subscriber database to determine whether the userequipment has been updated in accordance with a second communicationservice standard; and sending an error message to a network device whenthe user equipment has been updated according to the secondcommunication service standard.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein thefirst communication service standard comprises a global system formobile communication service standard and the second communicationservice standard comprises an internet protocol multimedia systemservice standard.
 12. A computer program embodied on a computer readablemedium, the computer program configured to control a processor toperform operations comprising: receiving a communication correspondingto a user equipment and a first communication service standard; queryinga subscriber database to determine whether the user equipment has beenupdated in accordance with a second communication service standard; andsending an error message to a network device when the user equipment hasbeen updated according to the second communication service standard.